Professional Distance: Thorne and Dash, Book 1

Thornwell Shipton is wealthy, uptight, closeted, and an incurable workaholic. A tragic love affair left him terrified of relationships, so he tells himself sex is better scheduled and paid for. Riley Dashwood is young, easy-going, and comfortable in his own skin. He's a passionate baker and an aspiring chef, working as an escort to save up for culinary school. When Thorne hires Dash, it's lust at first sight. After a few scorching nights together, both men start to wonder if what's between them is more than physical.

Drawn Together

Rory's just a simple southern boy from St. Antoine's Parish, Louisiana, but he knows what he wants - the girl of his dreams, reclusive and mysterious artist Ran Yamane. He's loved her since junior high school, and now he has the chance to meet her. He chucks everything and travels 1,500 miles to Anime Expo in Long Beach just so he can tell her. He's determined that nothing and nobody are going to stand in his way. Turns out, Ran Yamane isn't a girl, but he gets that a lot.

In the Middle of Somewhere

Daniel Mulligan is tough, snarky, and tattooed, hiding his self-consciousness behind sarcasm. Daniel has never fit in - not at home in Philadelphia with his auto mechanic father and brothers, and not at school where his Ivy League classmates looked down on him. Now, Daniel's relieved to have a job at a small college in Holiday, Northern Michigan, but he's a city boy through and through, and it's clear that this small town is one more place he won't fit in.

Between Sinners and Saints

Levi Binder is a Miami bartender who cares about only two things: sex and surfing. Ostracized by his Mormon family for his homosexuality, Levi is determined to live his life his own way, but everything changes when he meets massage therapist Jaime Marshall.

Sunset Park

Raymond has to get his act together and find a place of his own. But when out-and-proud David Butler offers to be his roommate, Raymond agrees for reasons other than needing a place to crash. David is Raymond's opposite in almost every way - he's Connecticut prim and proper while Raymond is a sarcastic longshoreman from Queens - but their friendship is solid. Their closeness surprises everyone as does their not-so-playful flirtation, since Raymond has always kept his bi-curious side a secret.

Trailer Trash

It's 1986, and what should have been the greatest summer of Nate Bradford's life goes sour when his parents suddenly divorce. Now, instead of spending his senior year in his hometown of Austin, Texas, he's living with his father in Warren, Wyoming, population 2,833 (and Nate thinks that might be a generous estimate). There's no swimming pool, no tennis team, no mall - not even any MTV.

Where Nerves End: Tucker Springs, Book 1

Acupuncturist Michael Whitman is a single dad struggling to make ends meet. When a mutual friend refers Jason as a patient, and Jason suggests a roommate arrangement to alleviate their respective financial strains, Michael jumps at the opportunity. But Jason soon finds himself regretting it - he's too damn attracted to Michael, and living with him is harder than he thought it'd be. In fact, the temptation to act on his feelings would almost be too much if not for the fact that Michael is straight. Or at least, that's what their mutual friend claims.

Out of Nowhere: Middle of Somewhere, Book 2

The only thing in Colin Mulligan's life that makes sense is taking cars apart and putting them back together. In the auto shop where he works with his father and brothers, he tries to get through the day without having a panic attack or flying into a rage. Drinking helps. So does running and lifting weights until he can hardly stand. But none of it can change the fact that he's gay, a secret he has kept from everyone.

Mad Lizard Mambo: The Kai Gracen Series, Book 2

Licensed Stalkers make their living hunting down monsters and dangerous criminals, and their lives are usually brief, brutal, and thankless. Despite being elfin and cursed with a nearly immortal lifespan, Kai didn't expect to be any different. Then Ryder, the High Lord of the Southern Rise Court, arrived in San Diego, and Kai's not-so-mundane life went from mild mayhem to full-throttle chaos.

Collide

At 10 years old, Noah Jameson and Cooper Bradshaw collided midair when they dove for the same football. For three years they were inseparable...until one day when Noah and his parents disappeared in the middle of the night. Noah and Cooper never knew what happened to each other. Now, 17 years later, after finding his boyfriend in bed with another man, Noah returns to Blackcreek looking for a fresh start. And damned if he doesn't find his old friend grew up to be as sexy as sin.

HIM

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wisecracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were 18? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Perfect Imperfections

Reg Moore has fun talking and drinking with "The" Jeremy Jameson and can't say no when the supposedly straight rock star makes him a once-in-a-lifetime offer: keep him company on his tour by playing the part of his boyfriend.

Wolfsong

Ox was 23 when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his blood red eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces. It's been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he's a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Fish Stick Fridays

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine, until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl. Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on.

Crossing Borders

Tristan knows he's got issues. His latest ex-girlfriend knows it too. He can't blame her for dumping him - even though she gets her brother to do it for her. Since he can't stop staring at said brother's package, he figures it's about time to put a label on those issues. He likes guys. He heads to a local bookstore with what he's sure is a foolproof plan to find someone to show him what he's been missing. But who should crash his little adventure? Officer Michael Truax, who gave him a really expensive ticket back in high school.

What Happens at Christmas

Justin is recently and unhappily single. Christmas is coming, and he doesn't want to face his ex alone at their office party. So Sean volunteers to go with him and pretend to be his new flame. Sean has always lusted after Justin from afar, but there's never been a good opportunity to ask him for more than friendship. Posing as Justin's boyfriend isn't a chore, and if Justin wants to rebound onto him, Sean's more than willing. At the party pretense and reality blur, and a kiss on the dance floor leads to a night of passion.

The Backup Boyfriend: Boyfriend Chronicles Series, Book 1

Professionally, Dr. Alec Johnson has almost reached his goals. As this year's recipient of a humanitarian award with his ex, Dr. Tyler Hall, Alec's work with the homeless is about to be recognized. Unfortunately, his personal life sucks because now he has to attend several events alongside Tyler - with his ex's new boyfriend in tow. In an attempt to lift his mood and break out of his rut, Alec purchases a motorcycle he has no idea how to start.

First

Growing up in a small town in Georgia hasn't prepared him for the more liberal life of a student at the university in Athens. Add to that the teachings of his parents and his church, and you have one shy young man who feels out of his depth. Working on his daddy's farm hasn't given him any chance of a social life, certainly not one like the clubs of Atlanta have to offer. Not that Tommy feels comfortable when he gets to sample it - Momma's lectures still ring loudly inside his head.

Off Campus: Bend or Break, Book 1

With his father's Ponzi scheme assets frozen, Tom Worthington believes finishing college is impossible unless he can pay his own way. After months of sleeping in his car and gypsy cabbing for cash, he's ready to do just that. But his new older-student housing comes with an unapologetically gay roommate. Tom doesn't ask why Reese Anders has been separated from the rest of the student population. He's just happy to be sleeping in a bed.

All Kinds of Tied Down: Marshals (Book 1)

Deputy US Marshal Miro Jones has a reputation for being calm and collected under fire. These traits serve him well with his hotshot partner, Ian Doyle, the kind of guy who can start a fight in an empty room. In the past three years of their life-and-death job, they've gone from strangers to professional coworkers to devoted teammates and best friends. Miro’s cultivated blind faith in the man who has his back… faith and something more.

Eyes Only for Me

For years, Clayton Potter's been friends and workout partners with Ronnie. Though Clay is attracted, he's never come on to Ronnie because, let's face it, Ronnie only dates women. When Clay's father suffers a heart attack, Ronnie, having recently lost his dad, springs into action, driving Clay to the hospital over 100 miles away. To stay close to Clay's father, the men share a hotel room near the hospital, but after an emotional day, one thing leads to another.

Stay

Wes Jensen just lost the sister who raised him, and gained custody of his niece. The last thing he needs to add to his full plate is dealing with Braden Roth, the one-night-stand who continues to try to push his way into Wes' life. He has a kid to raise now, and Wes isn't great at getting close anyway. As their lives intertwine more and more, Wes discovers Braden isn't as shallow as he thought. But after everything Wes lost in his life, he isn't sure he can risk his heart, and truly want Braden to stay.

Smoke & Mirrors: THIRDS, Book 7

Life for Dexter J. Daley has never been easy, but he's always found a way to pick himself back up with a smile on his face. Taken from his home and the arms of Sloane Brodie, his boyfriend and THIRDS partner, Dex finds himself in a situation as mysterious and lethal as the Therian interrogating him. Dex learns what he's secretly believed all along: his parents' death wasn't an accident.

Hot Head

Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181, Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish. Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do… until a nearly bankrupt Dante proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay porn website where uniformed hunks get down and dirty.

Publisher's Summary

Zach Mitchell is stuck in a rut. His college boyfriend left him 10 years ago, but Zach still lives in the same apartment, drives the same car, and feeds his ex-boyfriend’s ungrateful cat. His Denver business, A to Z Video Rental, is struggling. He has annoying customers, eccentric neighbors, and an unfulfilling romance with his landlord, Tom.

A combat boot-wearing punk with an attitude, Angelo Green was raised in foster homes and has been on his own since he was sixteen; he has never learned to trust or to love. He doesn’t do relationships, so when Angelo takes a job at A to Z Video, he decides Zach is strictly off-limits. Despite their differences, Zach and Angelo quickly become friends, and when Zach’s break-up with Tom puts his business on the line, it’s Angelo who comes up with a solution. Together with Jared and Matt, their friends from Coda, Colorado, Zach and Angelo will find a way to save A to Z, but will they be able to save each other too? (Listen to Jared and Matt's story in Promises.)

The characters seemed 3-dimensional, full of life and emotion. Love can be complicated, blind and all of the above. I thought the author portrayed the characters well. They were both frustrating and exciting. Definitely worth the listen but beware that the narrator is terrible and takes some getting used to.

Where does A to Z rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I loved it. I've never really listed to a book that I was disappointed in, though. I only buy audiobooks that I've already read in paperback or eBook so I go in knowing I like the story. I've also learned to appreciate different narrators quirks and style. This one took a little getting used to, but he seems to fit the series.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A to Z?

I love all of Zach's odd neighbors at the shop and every single thing about Angelo. I want to cuddle him up in a blanket and keep him safe forever, which would make him run away from me in horror, of course.

What does Mark L. Jones bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think he fits the attitude of this series, especially from Angelo's POV.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed and smiled and it kept me company on my car rides. Angelo touched me the most, I felt very drawn to and protective of him.

I LOVED this book. It is another great example of the author refusing to play into most stereotypes of gay men, and has a perfect tie-in to the previous book. I listened to the whole thing in one evening! You will love it. I do recommend listening to Promises by Marie Sexton first, so you know what I am talking about with the tie-in from her previous work.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes, although not as satisfying as "Promises", I still enjoyed it. Too much sex and less of the "chase" for my taste. And I can't fall in love with Angelo's character. I found him to be mean at times.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

A little less sex and more romance would have made it more enjoyable. The fact that the main characters have already accepted their gay identities made the "chase" or "hunt" less challenging.

What about Mark L. Jones’s performance did you like?

I like Mark L. Jones' performance in "Promises" and I like it in this audio book too. He has vulnerability in his voice. I enjoyed the story more because of his narration. He can improve on the delineation of the characters' voices. Sometimes it's hard to discern who's actually talking.

Could you see A to Z being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

If it were made into a movie, it would be an x-rated with too many graphic sex scenes in it. I would definitely watch it though. I would think Colby Keller as Zach and any dark skinned gay porn star as Angelo would do.

There are two main characters in this book but the narrator does not change his voice for them or the other few minor characters. I would have to go back to make sure the dialogue was for the correct character. Other than being annoying to listen to, I genuinely enjoyed the story.

Maybe I will finish this, maybe I won't. I am pretty bored. This seem like it has been done before...but way better. I have been listening to a lot of m/m romances lately and this is just not doing it for me. I really want get to the next story in this series... the "Strawberry one" but I want to follow the series in order, I hate listen out of order... Man O Man... this is just sooooo boring....

Narration sounds just like Promises. Good, but kinda sound just the same, so not good.

this is my second book into the Coda series. at first I struggled to get into because of my obsession with Matt and Jared from the previous book. However after around chapter 3 I was hooked again... beautifully linked with book one and Matt and Jared... I'd recommend this book to anyone!

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